The revelation that changed everything for sisters Lina and Manar wasn't a business epiphany or market research breakthrough. It was a simple, frustrating realization: finding a stylist who could consistently care for their natural hair well felt like rolling the dice, and this experience wasn't unique to them. It was systemic.

That shared frustration became the catalyst for Knotless, their Toronto-based beauty-tech marketplace that's reshaping how people with textured hair discover and connect with trusted stylists. But as their platform has evolved, so has their understanding of what it truly means to serve their community.

In our follow-up conversation, Lina and Manar dive deeper into the operational realities of building a tech company that puts accessibility at its core, not as an afterthought. From sensory-friendly environments to hijab-friendly spaces and mobile services for those who need at-home care, they're designing inclusivity into every aspect of the platform experience.

Their journey reveals how their distinct professional backgrounds continue to complement each other in unexpected ways. Lina's path from fine arts through intellectual property law brings both creative vision and strategic protection to their work, while Manar's marketing and operations expertise transforms big ideas into scalable systems. But perhaps more importantly, they've learned essential lessons about entrepreneurship that go beyond their individual skill sets.

Both sisters have discovered how to navigate the unique challenges of startup life while maintaining their creative energy and collaborative dynamic. Lina has learned to balance visionary thinking with practical execution, while Manar has had to embrace leading through uncertainty rather than the structure and predictability she naturally prefers.

As Knotless prepares for its next phase of growth, they're focused on building more than just a booking platform. Their vision includes educational initiatives for stylists, community partnerships, and technology innovations that make trust-building and discovery even more seamless for users.

In this conversation, they share how they're turning accessibility into a competitive advantage, the entrepreneurial lessons that have shaped their leadership approach, and what users and stylists can expect as they continue building community around the culture that inspired their work.

1. What was the biggest pain point in your own lives that made you realize it was time to build Knotless, and how did that moment move you from frustration to action?

We share the experience of always loving our natural hair, but finding a stylist who could consistently care for it well felt impossible. Every appointment was like rolling the dice. The more we talked to other women about it, the more we realized it wasn’t just unique to us.  It was systemic. There was no infrastructure of trust or accessibility for people with textured hair. Knotless was born out of that frustration, but also from a lot of love,  love for our community, our culture, and the beauty of our hair when it’s properly cared for.

2. You come from two very distinct professional backgrounds — law and digital marketing. How have your careers uniquely shaped and prepared you to launch a beauty-tech company focused on solving this discovery problem in Black haircare?

Lina: It’s funny; on paper, law and beauty tech don’t exactly go hand in hand. But my path has always been a mix of structure and creativity. I studied fine arts before attending law school, so I’ve always had a creative itch to build and express myself. Practicing law, especially in intellectual property, taught me how to protect ideas and think strategically—but it also showed me how rigid some industries can be when it comes to creativity and culture. With Knotless, I finally get to merge those worlds: the structure and integrity from my legal background with the artistry and cultural pride that come from being part of the Black beauty community.

Manar: And that’s where we balance each other out perfectly. My background is in marketing and operations, so I’m the one who loves turning big ideas into actual systems that work, the plans, the processes, the “how do we scale this?” part. I’ve spent my career helping brands grow. With Knotless, I get to do that for something deeply personal. Lina brings the creative magic and the heart, and I bring the strategy and execution. It’s definitely a yin-and-yang thing, and it works because we trust each other’s instincts completely.

3. Accessibility is central to Knotless—from sensory-friendly options to hijab-friendly environments. What does good accessibility look like in textured-hair services, and why was that important to you to include?

Lina: For us, accessibility isn’t an afterthought; it’s part of  Knotless DNA. Accessibility means that everyone, regardless of their background or needs, can participate and feel safe, seen, and cared for. That includes sensory-friendly environments, as well as mobile stylists for those who prefer or require at-home services, including hijab-friendly spaces with private booking options.

Manar: It also means educating stylists and empowering them with training to understand those needs. True accessibility in beauty means designing for inclusivity from the start, not patching it in later. We wanted to ensure that our platform reflects this commitment at every level, from how stylists list their services to how clients book them.

4. Every founder has early lessons that shape their journey. What’s one challenge you faced in building Knotless that taught you something essential about being an entrepreneur — and how has that shaped the way you lead today?

Manar: For me, it’s been learning how to let go a little. I like everything to have structure and predictability,  but startups are anything but predictable. The biggest lesson has been learning to lead through uncertainty with confidence, and to trust that clarity will come through collaboration, not control.

Lina: Mine was learning how to protect my creative energy while navigating the realities of building a tech company. You have to balance vision and execution, dreaming big while also making decisions that move the needle. That’s where Manar and I complement each other so well. We both push each other out of our comfort zones, and that’s where the growth happens.

5. What can users and stylists expect from Knotless over the next 6–12 months?

We’re really focused on building community. Expect to see more collaborations, educational initiatives for stylists, and partnerships that uplift textured-hair professionals.

On the tech side, we’re working on innovations that make booking and trust-building even more seamless: think smarter stylist discovery and improved systems for transparency and feedback. This next phase is all about making the experience effortless, beautiful, and deeply connected to the culture that inspired it.